Starting your plants from seeds is very rewarding to say nothing of aiding the frugal gardener. Over the years I have started seeds in many different manners and I have found two that I like very much.
One is the Mini Grow Plug Seed Kits. I have used these for years and I like them because the Styrofoam blocks with their preformed holes for the peat plugs are reusable again and again. They fit into a standard seed-starting tray that comes with the whole kit and the Styrofoam blocks float on water to keep the seedlings moist. The mini grow plugs come in a bag and they are fitted into the block, watered, expand and then put two or three seeds into the center hole of each plug, as they grow thin out to the strongest. The whole seed will send roots down to fill the whole plug which you can easily pull out and then insert into the ground or your larger container. I have had more successes with this kind of seed starter than any other.
Though a little pricey in the beginning, I have had mine for about nine years now and now only have to order a bag of plugs now and then.
My second choice of seed starters is the dehydrated seed pellet which is basically pellets made from coarsely crushed peat moss that have nutrients added to them. The dehydrated peat moss pellets are compactly made into various sizes and forms and usually have expandable, biodegradable netting around them. Once you add water to the pellets they expand to form a pot that is also the soil into which you put your seed.
You can set many of these expanded pellets into a tray and water as they need it. I have had many successes with this kind of seed starter also and one can add two or three seeds to each one and then thin out leaving the strongest plant.
Once the plants are the size for transplanting, one only needs to dig a hole in the soil and insert the whole expanded pellet into the ground. These are sometimes referred to as Jiffy Pellets and are not to be confused with a product called Jiffy Pots which are another type of seed starter.
Jiffy Pots are usually made from wood pulp and all natural sphagnum peat thus making them totally biodegradable and this allows them to be transplanted into larger containers or directly into the ground. If you go with this method make sure you buy the 4" x 3 & 3/4 " size which is good for peppers, tomatoes, flower bedding plants and other types of vegetables.
One fills these cups with their starting soil and put in two or three seeds, keep them watered, and then thin your plants, retaining the strongest one. The thing I dislike about this type of starting pot is that I have to fill them up with dirt or starter soil, water them and often if I am not paying attention I can accidentally spray my seed out of the pots thus making this type of starter pot low on my totem pool of seed starters. Plus they can easily tip over and spill out their contents.
"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with Peace, Light and Love,
Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com
